I back from a week of dancing in NYC and I just cannot, cannot figure out why it's taken me this long to do a purely-dance-non-congress trip. It was so incredibly worth it oh man, so many great memories, so many really good good dances, so many tall skilled salseros so many awesome DJs, performers, events, people, classes, you name it!

I didn't really do any sightseeing, I just went out dancing every night, and "recovered" during the day time. Alemana tried to tell me to pace myslf, but I was like a starving man at a buffet, dancing as non-stop as possible, for 5 days

The highlight was Friday at the Yamulee social, in the Bronx. This place was absolutely teeming with talent! The level of skill was so high that I could almost never go wrong with whomever I danced with! I didn't have to "hide" in the corner and watch, to see who's good. Compared to this social asking someone to dance at a congress is like playing russian roulette, really! I had to take a few breaks from dancing, because the room was so full and it was so hot. but after 5-6 hours of dancing I made up for those breaks LOL

The other socials I went to weren't as tight as the Yamulee event, but I was quite engaged the whole time and danced way too much haaha. Also attended the Sunday Eddie Torres class: this class is really very good. I was impressed to see so many great salseros, including teachers, still taking classes very enthusiastically! This must be the secret to why the average skill level is quite high.

I was also happy to see quite a few familiar faces from congresses, including well known NYC instructors, in their natural "habitats" lol

The whole week/end though I was puzzled by the phenomena of not seeing any of the NYC female greats out and about. In fact it wasn't until Monday night that I finally saw a female dancer who impressed me enough for me to watch, to observe authentic "NY style". I saw far more really good male than female dancers. Maybe the divas are hibernating lol

ALSO I got to dance with the one and only Boriken! It was towards the end of the night on Thursday at club Cache, and I was trying to cool down, fanning myself. and up comes this guy. I didn't know it was him, until after the dance when I realized he had been making the most intense eye contact I've ever experienced, riveting. I had been a bit absorbed by the song, and somewhat distracted by the watching/cheering crowd. that's right folks (sorry to put him on the spot) but he has some awesome afro-cuban moves, and when he pulled out a steaming cuban "El turneo" that's when I really looked up and noticed the eye contact haa! very impressed :raisebro: There were no introductions but I knew it was boriken
I'm looking forward to the next dance man ;0 this time I'll be ready

ALSO I got to dance with the one and only Boriken! It was towards the end of the night on Thursday at club Cache, and I was trying to cool down, fanning myself. and up comes this guy. I didn't know it was him, until after the dance when I realized he had been making the most intense eye contact I've ever experienced, riveting. I had been a bit absorbed by the song, and somewhat distracted by the watching/cheering crowd. that's right folks (sorry to put him on the spot) but he has some awesome afro-cuban moves, and when he pulled out a steaming cuban "El turneo" that's when I really looked up and noticed the eye contact haa! very impressed :raisebro: There were no introductions but I knew it was boriken
I'm looking forward to the next dance man ;0 this time I'll be ready

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I thought you came the week before... Still, had a feeling that it was you, but was too timid to ask if it was Africana from dance forums. I’m rather timid with personal intros... The week before there was a girl who looked almost exactly like you, except that she wasn't as good a dancer, and a few inches shorter.

After the dance, Abby came up to me to tell me what a wonderful dancer you are. That she really loved watching you. I told her that I thought it was someone I knew online but wasn't sure... That is my fault...

and what I thought off you? Hmmm... Hmmm...

although you said you were a bit absorbed by the song and crowd, I though you did a marvelous with energy. Never did I feel I lost you, except the time when a few people screamed really loud, cutting through the dance... You are a terrific dancer, I wish the dance would have been sooner in the night. I was running on fumes by the time we danced.

Well, I don't know what "El Trueno" is, but I'm glad it impressed you...
Next time we'll definitely have to dance a couple of more songs and get that personal introduction...

I thought you came the week before... Still, had a feeling that it was you, but was too timid to ask if it was Africana from dance forums. I’m rather timid with personal intros... The week before there was a girl who looked almost exactly like you, except that she wasn't as good a dancer, and a few inches shorter.

After the dance, Abby came up to me to tell me what a wonderful dancer you are. That she really loved watching you. I told her that I thought it was someone I knew online but wasn't sure... That is my fault...

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Oh yes Abby! she was one of the friendly faces I met that night and over the weekend She was promoting their social, very nice lady, I felt like I already had friends in "the scene" whenever I ran into her, not at all like some of the other ladies who balefully eye a female visitor/newcomer in silence wondering where the heck I crawled out from, and possibly wishing I would dissappear LOL

borikensalsero said:

although you said you were a bit absorbed by the song and crowd, I though you did a marvelous with energy. Never did I feel I lost you, except the time when a few people screamed really loud, cutting through the dance... You are a terrific dancer, I wish the dance would have been sooner in the night. I was running on fumes by the time we danced.

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thanks it's a mutual admiration society ;0 yeah I was tired too another reason why I felt like I was not completely present (plus people watching/yelling still makes me a bit nervous) but next time!

borikensalsero said:

Well, I don't know what "El Trueno" is, but I'm glad it impressed you...
Next time we'll definitely have to dance a couple of more songs and get that personal introduction...…

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El turneo is that cuban move where the man supports himself on one leg while the woman holds on and keeps them going round. It's usually done with the man almost squatting, and with the outter leg parrallel to the ground, inner leg supporting. And he smoothly gets into and out of it, after several bars of going around. You did a standing version, and so smoothly it sneaked up on me I was actually quite startled as I had thought you were about to lead a CBL. I think that's when I started paying full attention, and that's when the cheering was loudest :lol:

borikensalsero said:

My apologize for not asking you if you, were, well, you…

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Don't feel bad, I wasn't sure it was you either. I had suspicions after the dance but wasn't sure until I was in the subway processing the night on my way back to brooklyn, and then alemana confirmed it hehee.

girl thanks a bunch for your recommendations and all the 411
the funniest thing was how nonchanlant you were hahaa, to me I was in salsa-paradise acting like an overeager child, refusing to leave every party till the very end...anyways, I wanna be back asap

in your shoes i would've done the exact same thing. for my part, i also have My Other Dancing (lessons and practicing) and all the working out/training to fit in, so after a couple days in a row of hot-weather social dancing late nights, i do shift into Self-Preservation Mode.

oh yeah it WAS way too hot/humid out there. I'm at least happy to be back to the dreamy weather we have in the bay
And goodluck with the costume fitting, I have no doubt you'll kill it, impressed with the hardword. wish I could soak up some of that

I am JEALOUS. But I'm sure that africana is ten times the dancer I am (not to mention I'm a ballroom person, mostly), so I would have just embarassed myself there. It's so cool to meet dancers RT through DF!

El turneo is that cuban move where the man supports himself on one leg while the woman holds on and keeps them going round. It's usually done with the man almost squatting, and with the outter leg parrallel to the ground, inner leg supporting. And he smoothly gets into and out of it, after several bars of going around. You did a standing version, and so smoothly it sneaked up on me

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I think the move is technically called/spelled "tornillo." I found one picture of the seated version of the move at the following page:

w w w . descargacubana.com/lezioni_di_ritmica_file/el_tornillo.jpg

The move was also done by Chayenne & Vanessa Williams near the end of the movie Dance with Me. A couple of my friends are great at it, but personally I have trouble doing both the seated and the standing versions of the move, either because of my balance or my shoes. It's too bad that I missed seeing the boriken/africana version of it....

Anyway, I'm glad that you guys had a great encounter in New York City!

africana said:

the funniest thing was how nonchanlant you were hahaa

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Huh? Based on her posts on the forum, that's exactly how I would expect alemana to be.